1984 Delhi Massacres

After Operation Bluestar in June 1984 another anti-Sikh massacre was deployed this time in Delhi in which about 4,000 Sikhs were massacred in three days in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

October 31, 1984
9.20 am: Indira Gandhi was shot by two of her security guards at her residence No. 1, Safdarjung Road, and rushed to All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

11 am: Announcement on All India Radio specifying that the guards who shot Indira Gandhi were Sikhs. A big crowd was collecting near AIIMS.

2 pm: Though her death was yet to be confirmed officially, it became common knowledge because of BBC bulletins and special afternoon editions of newspapers.

4 pm: Rajiv Gandhi returned from West Bengal and reached AIIMS. Numerous incidents of attacks on Sikhs in and around that area took place.

5.30 pm: The cavalcade of President Zail Singh, who returned from a foreign visit, was stoned as it approached AIIMS.

Late evening and night: Mobs fanned out in different directions from AIIMS. The violence against Sikhs spread, starting in the neighbouring constituency of Congress councillor Arjun Dass. The violence included the burning of vehicles and other properties of Sikhs. That happened even in VIP areas like the crossroads near Prithviraj Road where cars and scooters belonging to Sikhs were burnt.

Shortly after Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as Prime Minister, senior advocate and Opposition leader Ram Jethmalani met home minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and urged him to act fast and save Sikhs from further attacks. Governor P.G. Gavai and police commissioner S.C. Tandon visited some of the violence-affected areas. Despite all these developments, no measures were taken to control the violence or prevent further attacks on Sikhs throughout the night between October 31 and November 1.

November 1, 1984
Several Congress leaders held meetings on the night of October 31 and morning of November 1, mobilising their followers to attack Sikhs on a mass scale. The first killing of a Sikh reported from east Delhi in the early hours of November 1. About 9 am, armed mobs took over the streets of Delhi and launched a massacre. Everywhere the first targets were Gurdwaras – to prevent Sikhs from collecting there and putting up a combined defence.

Mobs were armed with iron rods of a uniform size. Activist editor Madhu Kishwar saw some of the rods being distributed among the miscreants. Mobs also had an abundant supply of petrol and kerosene. Victims traced the source of kerosene to dealers belonging to the Congress party. For instance, a Congress worker called Brahmanand Gupta, a kerosene dealer, figures prominently in affidavits filed from Sultanpuri.

Every police station had strength of about 100 men and 50-60 weapons. Yet, no action was taken against miscreants in most places. The few places where the local police station took prompt measures against mobs, hardly any killings took place there. Farsh Bazar and Karol Bagh are two such examples. But in other localities, the priority of the police, as it emerges from the statement of the then police commissioner S.C. Tandon before the Nanavati Commission, was to take action against Sikhs who dared to offer resistance. All the Sikhs who fired in self-defence were disarmed by the police and even arrested on trumped up charges.

Mobs generally included teams attending to specific tasks. When shops were to be looted, the first team that gets into action would kill and remove all obstacles. The second team specialises in breaking locks. The third team would engage in looting. And the fourth team would set the place on fire.

Most of the mobs were led by Congress members, including those from affluent families. For instance, a Youth Congress leader called Satsangi led a mob in the posh Maharani Bagh. The worst affected areas were however far flung, low income colonies like Trilokpuri, Mongolpuri, Sultanpuri and Palam Colony.

November 2, 1984
Curfew was in force throughout Delhi – but only on paper. The Army was also deployed throughout Delhi but nowhere was it effective because the police did not co-operate with the soldiers who were not empowered to open fire without the consent of senior police officers or executive magistrates. Meanwhile, mobs continued to rampage with the same ferocity.

November 3, 1984
It was only towards the evening of November 3 that the police and the Army acted in unison and the violence subsided immediately after that. Whatever violence took place the next two or three days was on a much smaller scale and rather sporadic.

Comments

i’ll never 4get dis ferocious outrage of hindus.
Some day, and that day will come soon, they will eat back what they did.
This fire will burn 4ever in our hearts without droping its intensity.
And our khalistan will be a truth very soon.
WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA!!
WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!

Your comments befit the manner of an narrow minded parochial person who cannot possibly belong to Sikhism. Shri Nanak Dev said repeatedly we should not hold grudge in our hearts nor wish ill on anyone. you are now incorporating all Hindus as the agressors whehn the reality is that it was a secular goverment that undertook the Blue Star. How can you stereotype all Hindus like this…………..they like all the Muslims are our brethren………so refrain from suhc stupid childish comments

Guru Nanak dev ji told have no grudges for innocent people and so did Guru Gobind Singh ji BUT just see when all thi swrong was being done even on the name of politics all of India could have come forward to stop it OR not stop it atleast for justice that we have no hope of even after 2.5 decades.
When there was attack in Akshardham temple army didnt even fire a single bullet how can they see what indira did. Hindus think India is all theirs but they have to payback soon. Its high time and stop being Indiras or Hindus chamcha. Your stupid comment shows how much everything affect you or hurt you.
Wake up as a true Sikh

This is a very large stain on the very fabric of history. Although, this was not the only massacre to happen to us sikhs, they happened many times before in history, they were commanded by the emporers. This one however, was commanded by the government is a secretive way. Many have tried, yet none have prevailed in wiping us Sikhs from the earth, we will continue to thrive… and protect.
I am sure that you will all agrre, that if we had followed Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji’s orders to be trained as a warrior for self defence AND the protection of others, the 1984 murders would not have been as high. This should not happen again, we need to keep trained.
Although gatka, the martial art that is practised by many Sikhs, such as myself is not the true art form that the great Singhs used in the days of our guru’s. It was the art called Shastar Vidiya (knowledge of the shastar). This does not mean that Gatka is a false art, it is simply the toned down version of Shastar Vidiya and is in fact a part of it.
We shall have our Khalistan one day, and we shall run it by the Guru Granth Sahib!

The Delhi riot was a furious & misfortunate incident. The riot was not happened deliberately it was just happened. I know the wounds of this very painful & misfortunate carnage will always remain in effect but on the other side we should try to be secular to each & every religion. There is no particular religion was responsible for that.

I totally be hurt as I remember that day as a sikh but wants to forget that day as it was just happened by the time.

“Every religion Unites not devides”! We should try to forget that massacre & be kind to everybody from now & forever.

I was born later in 1985 but parents says It was very very painful & furious massacre.

I urge all sikhs & hindus & all religions to be unit & forget all our differences & past.

The 1984 massacre was not happened by accident or it was not any mishappening. it was planned by the congress officials like rajiv gandhi, jagdish titlar and bhajan lal. These dogs have set a plan to destroy the sikhs. It is a common sense that in just a little time how can the large no. of mobs,kerosene, petrol can be arranged and that too in just 5-6 hours that is unbelievable. As Guru nanak dev said all the people on the earth are child of one God and he is the creator of nature and every body. i appreciate u that uurges the people to be unite and leave the differenhces of the caste and religion.
But in the last u have mentioned “jai hind”. this title was given by nehru or gandhi i dont know, but how can u say that jai hind, it is totally false. if u can provide any proof for the jai hind i can see.
Now Listen to me the only jai is of the guru(god) not of any hind
Guru gobind singh has given us the fateh WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA
WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH. it means that khalsa balongs to the one god(Waheguru and fateh(win) is of the Waheguru.

we will make a khalistan nd di hindus will see wat we can do nd they had did wat dey can do but we will show them now wat we can do nd 1984 i can forget my name but cant forget 1984…… raj karega khalsa

Despite of Being a hindu, i totally agree that what happened in delhi was at the height of cruelity and it cannot be justified by any means. My nana ji who lives in delhi, they were present at that time and saved the lives of 8 sikh families including 42 persons by hiding them in their hotel and house.

So with deep regret, i just wanna tell u that good and bad persons exists in all communities, religions and races, but you cannot blame the entire society for that. We all are the people of one god and afterall sikhs and hindus, you all know how much respect and regard each other emotions and traditions. There are some people (like mentioned above) who always tried produce the friction between us only for the sake of their political benefits. Lets not take them the advantage of this. I always wish that this love and prosperity remains till infinity.

to be honest, i dont think what happened was fair to hindus OR sikhs, i understand tht some of the sikh comunitee would be upset, but not to forget many hindus died in this too, i am a hindu punjabi, and i think it is time for forget all this nonsense, ALOT of india is built up of punjabis and hindu punjabis, i dont think is it necessary to say we need our own nation, wen u practically have half of it already…i watched the baagi music festival videos on youtube, and i was honestly hurt to hear Humble the poet say, hes not indian, hes punjabi.. being punjabi is being indian.. i used to look up to him and his music, but i dont see him the same anymore..

I Support all my sikh brothers & sisters.
We can not forget 84 riot.
And i request to all my sikh brothers living in delhi or other state
to have strong health or leave the drugs. I dont want the people to make
laugh or jokes on sardars or sikh communities. The respect of sikh communities is in our hand.

waheguru ji ka khalsa ,waheguru ji ki fateh. raj karega khalsa this is truth . In 1984 sikh massacares directly give us the right to have khalistan. i will never forget 84 and moreover i want to kill each and every person who was involved against sikhs in those massacares when i will become khalsa then i will be having power to fight alone with 1.25 lakh alone …kahalistan jindabad hindustan murdabad…..!!!!

I noticed 3 MPs are mentioned above however the name of Jagdish Tytler is prominently missing and he was widely believed to have acted at the behest of the congress party along with others named above. These riots were well planned, paid for and executed massacres by the ruling party. I kept wondering why the police was not acting and why Rajiv Gandhi the new PM had not called for strict law and order to be enforced as I saw the mobs attacking homes and businesses in south Delhi. It became very clear that they wanted the city to burn and a sense of fear to be instilled in the sikh community for long enough to get their sick point across. The same party now keeps shouting about godhra riots as if they have never committed any sins and playing divisive politics between the communities instead of letting them and the country prosper. The saddest part is that another sikh leads this government today.

1984 was a demonic act committed by demons who are hiding in the skins of Hindu, Muslims and even some handful of Sikhs.

Everyone knows role of People like Jagdish Tytler (born to Sikh Mother), Amitabh (born to Sikh Mother). Moreover, Zial Singh the bootlicker of indira who was enjoying the killing and kept his mum because he feared his post more than innocent being killed on the streets. He was equally responsible for what happened in 1984. If he wanted, he could have stopped this massacre in 1 day.

My family was saved by Hindu Family. There are several hundred families saved by Hindus.

So is it right to say it was a “HINDU ACT”? It was a Criminal Act commited by criminals hiding behind Hindu, and muslim skins and Sikh Skins.

DSGMC (Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management) President, Delhi : Paramjit Singh Sarna offered SAROPA to Sajjan Kumar. Do you think he is a SIKH ? He worked 7 long years erasing every single evidence against congress leaders. He worked hard to remove pension of 1984 widows ? Is he a Sikh ?

Do you think those Sikhs who VOTE/Support him from Delhi are SIKHS or Demons hiding in Sikh identity.

There are not 1, but I have encountered several Gaddar Sikhs who are still loyal to Demonic COngress party and are paid regularly to brainwash people into believing that 1984 was orchestrated by BJP and other opposition parties.

I have heard one Gaddar Congress Sikh saying “whatever happened in 1984 was right”? I felt like pulling out Sword and Cut him piece by piece and feed to Dogs in the colony.

1984 was not a religious riot. It was a political riot organised by congress party.

the sikh community will never forget 1884.the sikh dange in new delhi.we will waiting for the justice for long long time.we need a revange from congress party and some congress leader.they did dange in 1884 in new delhi in india.we will do it.

why – why u hindus – if the inocent didnt do anything – then y the fuck did u kill them – my friends grandpa was killed in his car by being burnt alive :( – i will never forgive or forget what happened – and HINDUS – U WILL BURN HELL ONE DAY – THEN YULL REGRET SO MUCH THT YULLL DIE THINKING OF THAT- SIKHS ARE THE GREATEST WARRIORS OF ALL TIME WE DIDNT BACK DOWN WHEN THIS HAPPENED

More than 5000 sikhs were killed in riots .Is there any court or low in india ,How many accused are hanged in 27 years. Not a single victim for killing 5000 innocent people . Shame to all the govt. Legal agencies including SC . Then why are you shouting to hang Kasab & A.Guru . Though according to me they are accused .

I was reading book called ‘i accuse’ of the jarnail singh,that was really heart touching and i thought how our people were such cruel and madThe so called seculars don’t talk about these incidents and they only talk about Gujarat riots. Jarnail singh says that 1984 is not just a riot it’s a murder.Congress party is of the view that if M.Gandhi was killed by a marathi brahmin so every marathi brahmin should die their wives should be raped and it again proved in 1984.

*84 delhi seemed worst and only on 1 religion and again by single organised Congress party. surely we should never ever forget *84, but what we should do now to strengthen ourselves is important so that no one can even raise a eyebrow on us ever again. Just some months ago (2013), there are elections of DSGMC and I have seen Sikhs asking for votes for Congress in all around Delhi, SHAME on them, they should die / better hang themseleves and those voting for them should orgainse mass furnace to douse themselves in fire. Sikhs themseleves are supporting Congress, Bloody Shame on them. What about Patuadi massacre,, huge carnage, God will surely give them dogs death, but what is current govt doing, just filling papers only..blind folded laws.

SIKHS should STOP orgainising MASS PARADES and Langars, sweat water, DESTROYING PANTH MONEY IN JUST LAVASHING OR PLEASING OR FALSE SHOWCASING THE MONEY POWER,
WE SHOULD START SAVING AND PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE ROIT HIT, SHASTRA VIDYA SCHOOLS, FOOD AND JOBS FOR SIKHS ONLY..

After 1984 riot, Indian Government has decided and has almost destroyed the roots of Sikhism by ordering anti-sikh riots in india, whereas Indian Government has no roots and has not had a single person in the party, who can manage or to hold the command of the country leaving one person i.e. a SIKH.

But we are unfortunate because that SIKH is Deaf and Dumb.

But still we are proud of him because he has what our Guru-Sahib or what our GuruGranth Sahib Ji has given us or told us…… ” To Follow The Path of Truthfulness and Innocence.”

I feel very sorry and sympathy on the bottom of my heart to all my brothers and sisters who suffered in 1984 riots.

it is shamelessness of every indian.. but now we have to think that its all things happen because of our congress leaders.. its not bcoz of any community like hindu or muslim . our leaders are selfish .. we should think about these things other than any massacres.. Hope we will understand..

It is our bad fate, blame the congress govt. for their heinous crimes. This is not acceptable to kill about 11,000 sikhs all over the country raping, killing and slaughtering. This is absolute Ethnic Cleansing that will never be forgotten.

its very amazing that 2 sikh killed Indira Gandhi in her home, rajeev gandhi was killed by a brave lady, but what are sikhs awaiting for ????? is sajjan kumar, kamalnath, jagdish tytler more powerful than Indira gandhi, why sikhs do not kill the bastard mastermind of 1984 immediately……….. listen do not axpect any justice by indian law

I think there will be no solution in only talking . I think political way is best to taught them a lesson. Leaders should stand against center or boycott centre govt till justice is not served .for this ,all Sikhs and supporters of Sikhs have to gathered under one flag .India does not stand strong without punjabis .Proud to be a punjabi